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If you want to know how to build a workbench, the short answer is this: build a simple screwed frame from CLS timber, top it with a sheet of plywood, and add a lower shelf for stiffness and storage. With five CLS timbers and one plywood sheet from a builders merchant, you can build a bench as rigid as a £400 shop unit for £80–150 — using nothing more than a cordless drill, a circular saw or jigsaw, and a handful of screws (source: Maker UK).
This guide walks you through the whole process: choosing a size that suits your workshop, a cutting list you can hand over at the timber yard counter, step-by-step assembly, and the clamping and finishing touches that turn a basic bench into the workhorse of your workshop.
Why Build Your Own Workbench?
Every workshop needs a solid bench — it’s the surface where all your other tools earn their keep. The problem with buying one is that the ready-made options tend to sit at two extremes: flimsy folding tables or expensive solid timber slabs. A budget portable unit like the BLACK+DECKER Workmate 301 costs around £34 and is fine for light jobs, while folding benches such as the WORX Pegasus WX051 double as sawhorses for cutting long boards. Both are useful secondary stations, but neither replaces a proper fixed bench (source: Maker UK).
Building your own solves this. The design in this guide uses simple butt joints driven home with screws — no mortise and tenons, no dowels, no complex joinery. It’s simple enough for a first-time builder but tough enough for years of hammering, planing and clamping. And if it’s good enough for a first build, it’s good enough for you: blogger The Carpenter’s Daughter built her first workbench as a competition entry and reported it was “extremely sturdy, robust” — proof that a beginner with a drill and a jigsaw can get rewarding results.
Getting the Size Right: Height and Footprint
Before you cut anything, decide how big your bench should be. Two measurements matter most:
- Height: 900mm is the standard work surface height for UK adults. Maker UK suggests checking 900mm against your wrist with your arm relaxed (source: Maker UK). If you plan to do a lot of hand-planing, going slightly lower gives you more leverage; for assembly and power tool work, standard height is fine.
- Footprint: Size the bench to fit your space and the work you do — the plans in this guide build a bench roughly 1.5m long × 600mm deep, but you can adjust the lengths to suit. Leave enough clear space around the bench to work comfortably and swing a board around without bashing walls.
Also think about clamping overhang. Leaving the plywood top flush with the frame gives a clean look, but a small overhang on one or two sides lets you clamp work to the edge with F-clamps. If you want maximum clamping versatility, designs with dog holes and generous overhangs — such as the metric multi-function bench series from Timber Time — offer lots of clamping options, though they need more materials and accuracy.
Tools and Materials You’ll Need
You don’t need a table saw or a biscuit joiner for this build. The essentials:
- A cordless combi drill — the only power tool you truly need for driving screws and drilling pilot holes. Something like the DeWalt DCD778S2T 18V Combi Drill will drive screws all day on a single battery (source: Maker UK).
- A circular saw or jigsaw for breaking down the plywood and cutting timber to length. Many builders merchants will cut your sheet to size for a small fee, which saves a lot of faff.
- A tape measure, combination square, pencil and spirit level.
- Wood screws — 5 × 80mm for the main frame joints and 4 × 40mm for fixing boards and noggins. Double self-countersunk screws such as Goldscrew work well (source: The Carpenter’s Daughter).
- Timber: five lengths of CLS timber (typically 38 × 63mm or 38 × 89mm C16) and one sheet of 18mm plywood for the top. C16 CLS is cheap, straight-ish and available at every UK builders merchant; 2×4 lumber is the US equivalent.
- Optional: a sheet of 9mm OSB3 for the lower shelf, as used in The Carpenter’s Daughter’s build.
Total build cost lands around £80–150 (roughly $100–190 in the US, where dimensional lumber and plywood sheets are similarly priced), which beats any ready-made bench for strength per pound (source: Maker UK).
The Cutting List
Here’s a simple cutting list for a bench roughly 1.5m long × 600mm deep × 900mm tall, built from 38 × 89mm CLS. Adjust lengths to suit your space:
- 4 × legs at 812mm (900mm finished height minus the 38mm top frame members and ply thickness)
- 4 × long rails at 1500mm (two for the top frame, two for the lower shelf frame)
- 4 × short rails at 524mm (600mm depth minus two rail thicknesses)
- Noggins at around 524mm for bracing between rails — add as many as you need to stop the frame racking and stiffen the shelf
- 1 × plywood top, sized to overhang the frame slightly for edge clamping — one standard plywood sheet covers this build (source: Maker UK)
- 1 × 9mm OSB3 shelf at 1500 × 524mm, or two boards if you prefer (source: The Carpenter’s Daughter used OSB3 strips for her shelf)
If you’d rather work from detailed construction drawings, the metric plans on Timber Time include dimensioned CAD drawings built from 100 × 100mm and 60 × 100mm square timber — beefier stock, but the same basic principles apply.
Step-by-Step Assembly
1. Build the Side Frames
Lay out a rectangle on the floor from two legs and one long rail, and one short rail. Check it with a square, then join with two 80mm screws per joint. Always drill pilot holes first — CLS timber near the ends splits easily, and a split leg is a weak leg. Repeat for the second side frame.
2. Join the Sides Together
Stand both side frames up and connect them with the remaining long rails at the top and bottom. Again, pilot holes and two screws per joint. Get a helper if you can — frames get floppy fast. Check for square by measuring diagonally corner to corner: the two diagonals should match. If they don’t, nudge the frame square before the screws fully bite.
3. Add Noggins
Fit noggins between the long rails — a few across the top frame and several between the lower rails to support the shelf. This is what stops the bench wobbling side to side, and it’s the step beginners most often skip. Don’t.
4. Fix the Lower Shelf
Screw the OSB3 or plywood shelf down onto the lower rails with 40mm screws. A shelf low on the bench does two jobs: it stores your tools and timber, and it ties the legs together so the whole structure acts as one rigid box.
5. Attach the Top
Lay the plywood top in place, overhanging evenly on the ends and one long edge (your clamping edge). Screw it down through the top frame with 40mm screws every 200–300mm. For a flatter, more durable surface later, you can screw and glue a second layer of ply on top — but for a first bench, one sheet is plenty.
6. Level and Anchor
Shim under the legs until the bench sits level on an uneven garage floor, then fix it to the wall studs or masonry with brackets if you have the space. An anchored bench simply doesn’t rock, which matters when you’re hand-planing or wrestling a big sheet.
Clamping and Workshop Tips for Small Spaces
A bench is only as useful as what you can hold in it. A few practical tips:
- Use the overhang. Clamp boards to the front edge with F-clamps or sash clamps for planing and sawing. Cheap clamps do this job perfectly well.
- Add a batten stop. Screw a batten to the rear edge of the top to act as a fence when cutting or sanding — you can remove and reposition it as needed.
- Keep the floor clear. Store long stock under the bench and hang clamps on the wall behind it. In a small workshop, the bench’s shelf is prime real estate.
- Drill a dog-hole row. A line of 19mm holes across the top accepts bench dogs and holdfasts for pennies, massively expanding your clamping options.
- Protect the top. A coat of oil or a sacrificial hardboard sheet keeps the ply surface working flat for years. Scratches don’t matter — flatness does.
If your budget doesn’t stretch to a full build yet, a folding bench like the WORX Pegasus can hold you over, and you can add the fixed bench later. And once your bench is up, having solid plans for your next projects helps — our Ted’s Woodworking review covers one popular plan library, and our 3D printed battery adapter guide is handy if you’re running one-brand tool batteries on a budget.
Safety Notes Before You Start
- Eye and ear protection whenever you’re cutting with a circular saw or jigsaw.
- Support your work properly when cutting plywood — never cut a sheet bridged on two supports, or it’ll pinch the blade and kick back.
- Check for nails and screws in second-hand or reclaimed timber before sawing.
- Secure the workpiece — clamp it or hold it against a stop. Wood that can move will move at the worst moment.
If you want ready-made plans once your bench is built, Ted’s Woodworking is one paid collection of woodworking project plans sold through ClickBank. We have not tested it ourselves, so judge it on the seller’s own description — you can see the official Ted’s Woodworking website and decide whether it suits the projects you have in mind. The free steps in this guide are all you need for the workbench itself.
FAQ
How much does it cost to build a workbench?
A simple CLS timber and plywood bench costs around £80–150 in materials in the UK, based on five CLS timbers and one plywood sheet from a builders merchant (source: Maker UK).
What is the best height for a workbench?
900mm is the standard work surface height for UK adults, though the most reliable method is measuring to your wrist with your arm relaxed at your side (source: Maker UK). Go slightly lower if you’ll do a lot of hand planing.
Do I need a table saw to build a workbench?
No. A cordless combi drill plus a circular saw or jigsaw will handle the entire build. Many builders merchants will also cut your plywood to size for you, eliminating the trickiest cuts entirely.
Is plywood or MDF better for a workbench top?
Plywood. 18mm plywood is strong, holds screws well and resists dings; MDF sags under load and crumbles at the edges. OSB3 is a cheaper alternative that works fine for shelves, as used in The Carpenter’s Daughter’s bench.
Why does my workbench wobble, and how do I fix it?
Wobble usually comes from a frame that’s out of square or missing noggins. Check the diagonal measurements to confirm squareness, add noggins between rails, fit a lower shelf to tie the legs together, and shim the feet level. Anchoring the bench to a wall solves it permanently.
Final Thoughts
Learning how to build a workbench is one of the best first projects in woodworking because the bench itself makes every later project easier. Keep the design simple: screwed CLS frame, plywood top, lower shelf, noggins for stiffness. Don’t chase fancy joinery on your first build — a straight, square, well-braced frame will outlast most of the ready-made benches on the market at a fraction of the price. Measure your height, cut your list, drill your pilot holes, and get building.
